Electives
by RECH2O
Summary: After thier elective is cancled the teens are forced to take a Mythticl studies class, but when things start to feel like their lifes they start to wonder about thier new teacher. sequel to My Best Friend's Boyfriend
1. Prolouge

_A/N This story is a sequel to My Best Friend's Boyfriend. (BFB) To understand this story you probably want to read that story first. Most of the events will be confusing other wise. Enjoy! _

Prologue 

They thought it was going to be great; a trip to a high-rope course, but the traffic was end less. The cars had stopped moving an hour ago. All engines were off. People were sitting around out of their cars. What a class trip.

Rikki, Emma, and Cleo sat in a line on the guard rail on the side of the rode. The sun beat down on them as every student in their adventure class sat around on beach towels or just plain on the ground. All 49 of the students were trying to entertain themselves with silly stories and crazy pranks.

Mrs. Sunspot and Mr. Starlight sat in the bus watching the news to see when the traffic would let up. There was no let up in sight. There had been a 17 car pile up and no one was moving yet.

"This is the best school trip ever," Rikki said sarcastically.

"At least we aren't in class," Cleo said trying to find the bright side.

"I'd rather be in class," Emma said.

"You would always rather be in class," Rikki pointed out.

"Not all the time," Emma said standing up for herself.

Not far from the three sat four other students, Mary Pepper, Kenly and Kendall Dagger, and Charlotte Wastford. They were not having any more fun than the girls. Mary had a journal written by her grandmother and the four of them were reading it.

"Come on, Charlotte, this is just a story written by my crazy grandmother. It is not real. There is no proof of it being real," Mary said after reading the last line in the short journal.

"Mary, there is more proof than I'm allowed to show you. I'm telling you this stuff is real, and your grandmother and my grandmother were a part of it. What do you say, Kenly?" Charlotte asked looking to Kenly for support.

"Well… I like stories, and this is an interesting one," Kenly said trying not to get in the middle.

"I'm with my sister," Kendall added quickly.

Standing nearer those four was Merriam Kent and new girl Kelly Matthews. In all confusion Merriam somehow got stuck showing Kelly around the school and being her "buddy" on the field trip. Merriam wanted to jump off a cliff to get away from Kelly's annoying ways. All she would talk about was Mythical beings and how they lived in the wild and how they stayed hidden.

To get away from the girls, the boys stood huddled in a circle as far away as possible on the crowded street. Lewis, Zane and Ash stood face to face with Nate, Bill Forehand, and Jake Yeller. They seem to be in a debate over who has had the worse school trip ever. It was a draw, with Byron calling the shots.

"Try a two hour trip back in a bus that was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then there was traffic and we had to sit in the bus longer," Ash told the guys.

"Oh yeah, well a fifth grade trip to the aquarium, our bus was late we had to sit in the sun after everyone had left and wait for it. All the other students were gone when we got back to the school," Nate protested.

"Ash has got you beat, sorry," Byron announced.

The sun beat down as the teens sat stranded on the highway and no way to get home. Unfortunately, this was not the only bum of a trip that class had gotten them into. The class had been open to students since they had entered kindergarten and every one from Grades nine and up were allowed to join and every year Mr. Starlight, the lower class teacher, had gotten the two classes in some sort of tuff spot. The elective was costing the school a lot of money. There was a large possibility it would be canceled soon. Still no one thought it would be as soon as it was.

_A/N I know that was a bit short. It was just an opening. I promise the rest of the chapters will be longer. Just to let you know, both Ash's and Nate's field trip troubles happened to me. They are not made up. _


	2. Chapter 1:cancaled

Chapter 1: Canceled 

"I can't believe it!" Rikki cried after reading the notice on the bulletin board. "It's canceled! I wouldn't think just because one bad field trip."

"Well I think the class got canceled because Mr. Starlight is not good at planning field trips, has no idea how to teach the class and the funding just could not handle it," Cleo pointed out as she stood looking over her best friend to see the notice.

Rikki was still confused about the sudden cancelation of her favorite class, but stop worrying about it as Emma walked up with Zane right behind her, struggling to keep up. They came up to the notice, like every other student in their class, and read the disappointing news.

"Somehow, I knew this was going to happen," Emma told her friends. "It was only a matter of time."

"I guess we need to pick another elective," Zane said after he caught his breathe.

Cleo nodded as the four of them made their way to the new electives sheet. Students crowded the table as all 49 of the now elective less students were put together with 4 newbie's and 5 students changing electives for what ever reason. There were only 10 electives not full and most by only 10 students. Those classes included swimming intramurals, diving classes, a baby-sitting course, water polo, Moon phases class, deep sea diving classes, a big sibling program, Volleyball intramurals, water basketball intramurals, and a mythical studies course. The four teens looked at their options as Lewis and Ash walked up to do the same.

"Ok, we will eliminate anything with water right away," Cleo said looking at the list.

Lewis marked off Swimming, diving, water polo, deep sea diving, and water basketball then looked back up at the others.

"Moon phases class has a sleep-over on a Full moon night," Rikki pointed out.

Lewis marked off Moon phases, and looked back up.

"I think we should not push our luck and stay away from anything to do with Volleyball," Emma said as Lewis marked that off the list too.

"Well Cleo and I have enough siblings to deal with, without one that is not ours," Ash said as Lewis marked off big sibling program.

"And would just like to point out, kids are not a fun way to spend an entire period," Zane told them.

Lewis marked off babysitting and announced, "That leaves Mythical studies."

He looked up at the girls who where giving each other questionable looks. They all shrugged and Cleo announced, "I guess that can't be that bad. Not a whole lot of students take that class. We would be pretty much alone."

After their short, enter mind conversation, they signed their names next to the one-six slots. People soon surrounded the sign-up sheets and the six teens had to push their way out of the crowd. They watched as the students tried to sign up for electives that did not include learning useless information.

Kelly pulled Merriam to the sign-up page. She had spent the last twenty minutes trying to encourage her "buddy" to sign up for the Mythical studies class. After she annoyed her long enough, Merriam agreed to take the class with the crazy girl.

Charlotte, Mary, Kendall and Kenly decided the only way to prove the point each of them had, they had to take the Mythical studies class. When Charlotte saw the first six names, she hesitated before putting their names on the list.

Since a popular elective was canceled, classes were filling up fast. In the end, Mythical studies was the only class left. Boys were forced to take the class or fail electives, the easiest classes ever.

The new teacher that was teaching the mythical studies class walked into her class room. The 16 students of the class looked up at the tall, blond, woman who stood in front of them. She looked at them with her light blue eyes and gave them a smile that could light up the room. The boys were stunned by her perfect skin and cute little freckles that ran across her small, perfect nose. The girls envied her short, light blue dress that looked like it should be on a beach in a magazine. Everyone started to wonder why the woman was teaching a useless elective and not modeling for some swim-suit calendar.

"Ok, Class, I'm Hilary Vandal and I will be teaching this wonderful class," she said with a sweet quiet voice. "Now I would like to point out that some of you might think this class will be a walk over. Well you are wrong. I will be assigning at least 3 group projects where I will also be assigning groups. You will get to learn your classmates as you would your little sibling or your best friend." She paused just long enough for the class to take this in. "Let's start with an unrelated little partner project to get to know your classmates. I will assign partners and you will then get to know them. I want you to tell the class where your partner lives, when your partner's birthday is, two silly facts about your partner, and a secret about your partner." She looked around showing everyone her lovely looks. "I want Byron to be with… Jake, Nate with… Merriam, Kenly with… Bill, Kendall with… Zane, Kelly with… Emma, Lewis with… Mary, Charlotte with… Ash and Rikki with Cleo. Go and get with you partner."

The class went into a frenzy looking for their partners in the small class. As Emma passed Rikki she whispered, "You are so lucky." Rikki gave her a sweet look as she sat down in front of a girl she knew almost everything about.

For a while all the students in the class spoke to each other about the topics Mrs. Vandal had assigned. That is except one group. Rikki and Cleo knew exactly what they were going to tell the class and did not need to discuss the topic anymore. Mrs. Vandal did not know why the two girls were not participating and was getting annoyed. She walked over to the girls and asked, "Why aren't you two discussing the topics I gave?"

"Because we already know those things about each other," Cleo answered.

"We've known each other for a while," Rikki told the new teacher.

"We are not the ones who need to learn about each other," Cleo pointed out.

On that note Mrs. Vandal called the attention back up to her as she started to call out groups to do there presentations. The only thing any of the students learned from the project was that except for Kelly Matthews, their class was normal, (well as normal a class with three mermaids could be) and that Mrs. Vandal was just as nuts as Kelly.

"This will be a fun year," Rikki told her friends as they left the room after class.


	3. Chapter 2: Planned

Chapter 2: Planed 

Rikki sat down in front of Cleo and Emma as the entire senior class started lunch. She placed her head on her hands and looked down at the table.

"Don't look to upset, Rikki," Cleo said taking a bite of her ham sandwich then spitting it out in her napkin.

"Don't look to discussed, Cleo," Rikki quoted.

"Not my sandwich. Must be Kim's," Cleo said rewrapping the sandwich and taking out her water bottle.

"Look, guys I know that class is not the… funest class around, but there is no turning back now, right," Emma said trying to cheer her friends up.

"As much as no one wants to admit it, that class bites," a voice said from behind Emma and Cleo.

Rikki looked up to see Zane and Lewis standing there. Lewis sat down next to Cleo as Zane walked around the table to sit next to Rikki.

"You know I'm right," Zane said taking a sip of his soda, "Why on earth are we taking it anyway?"

"There is nothing left," Emma pointed out. "Even if there was, it's not like they are going to be any better. Half the electives have something to do with water. How in the world would we deal with that?"

Rikki put her head back down. The rest of the teens kept up with lunch as normal with Ash coming up in the middle. No one wanted to say it, but everyone was dreading the end of lunch and the beginning of Mythical studies. Still, time went on and before anyone could notice, it was time for class to start and students were all over the place trying to get to class on time.

15 of the 16 students walked slowly to the class room to see the beautiful teacher dressed in a dress with stars and sparks all over it. Even in that silly dress, Mrs. Vandal looked like a model out of a swimsuit magazine. The boys were all over it. The girls were starting to get annoyed by it.

"Ok class, today we will start by getting groups for our biggest project. These groups will determine groups of other projects and games we will be playing and completing. So let's get started," Mrs. Vandal started. "First group is Bill, Jake, Merriam, and… Kelly. Can you four sit over there in a circle?" Mrs. Vandal pointed to the back of the class room. "Next group is Kenly, Kendall, Mary and Charlotte. Go and sit in a circle over nearer them. Next group is Zane, Ash, Nate and Byron. Please sit nearer the other two groups. The last group is Emma, Rikki, Cleo, and Lewis. Please sit in a circle."

Everyone looked around at the groups that looked planed. Too many friends were together in the same group. Still Mrs. Vandal looked pleased with herself.

"Now I will pass out element cards," Mrs. Vandal explained. "This will be your element for the year. When I do anything involving it you stay with the element. No trading, I did this for a reason."

Hilary passed out cards and instructed the students to not turn them over just yet. Student looked around the room making faces with others and watching Mrs. Vandal. When she was finished she gave a nod and told the students to turn there cards over and show their group.

Rikki, Cleo, Lewis, and Emma quickly turned their cards over and looked up at each other. Rikki slowly showed her card to her friends. In neat large letters, the word "Fire" was written on it. Emma took a deep breathe and did the same. In the same neat handwriting, the word "Ice" was printed on the card. Cleo looked at her friends' cards and then slowly showed hers. With the same large letters, it read "Water." Lewis looked closely at the girls' cards and then showed his to them. It read "Scientist" in the same neat letters as the other three.

"Ok, this is spooky," Lewis whispers.

"How did she do that? This project seems too much like real life. To be more specific, our life," Emma whispered to her friends.

"This is creepy," Rikki whispered in agreement to Lewis.

Across the room, Charlotte, Kenly, Kendall, and Mary were looking at there cards. Charlotte was having the same strange feeling that Cleo, Emma, Rikki, and Lewis were having about the elements. She had gotten Water as Mary had Ice and Kenly had Fire. Kendall had Scientist. Charlotte believed that this was to freaky weird to not be planed. Mary did still not believe the silly story Charlotte was telling.

"There is no such planning what so ever, Charlotte. That is just silly," Mary said.

"It is kinda weird that we got the elements our grandmothers had," Kenly said.

"Our grandmothers had no such thing. There is no such thing as magic and powers," Mary debated.

"You'll believe one day," Charlotte whispered so quietly that even Kenly, who was sitting right next to her, didn't hear.

"Now I want you to meet the people in your element group. Please, I want Water in that corner," Mrs. Vandal said pointing to the back left corner. "I want Ice in that corner." She pointed to the back right corner. "I want Fire in that corner." She pointed to the front left corner. "And the scientist in that corner." She pointed to the front right corner.

The students did as they were told and met with there group. Rikki was not happy to have Merriam in her group but was happier than Cleo was to have Charlotte in hers. Emma was scared to have both Ash and Byron in her group.

"Now that you have met your element group and your group, I will tell you there is a field trip coming up and I will need you to get your parents to sign these permission forms," Mrs. Vandal said passing out pink slips of papers.

"Where are we going?" Jake asked.

"That is a secret, son, but I promise there will be no traffic and no waiting in lines," Mrs. Vandal said with a creepy smile only Emma, Cleo, Rikki, and Charlotte caught.

Kim, Ally, Angela, and Elliot 

"Why?" Elliot complained as he followed the four girls up the Sentori's steps. "Mrs. Prime just had to put me in the same group as Kim, Ally, Angela and Lucy."

"Stop complaining, Elliot. I think this will be fun," Ally said with a smile only Elliot saw.

"And I think it will be creepy," Elliot whispered just low enough no one heard him.

"Just be glad we don't have to do this stupid project alone," Angela said looking for the bright side.

"I'd rather do the project alone," Elliot whispered.

Elliot looked at the three girls. Kim gave him the same I've-got-something-planed-for-you smile she gave him when he asked her out. Ally gave him the I-think-your-cute smile he had seen other creepy girls at his school give him. Angela paid no attention to him what so ever. While Lucy just wrote about the project and what everyone was to do. _This will be fun. _Elliot thought.

_A/N Everyone remembers Lucy, right? Lucy the girl Kim wants to be hit by a bus in 2X10 and is at her house in 2X5. I hope so because she is big in the Kim and Elliot part. _


	4. Chapter 3:Projects

Chapter 3: Projects 

Cleo closed her math text book and looked towered the clock that now hung above her door. It was 10:45. The younger kids would be in bed, but from the glow coming from the bathroom, she knew Ash wasn't. His math homework was probably keeping him up as well.

Kim sat on her floor across the hall. Ally was sitting with her. They had a poster and books everywhere. There was little reading or writing going on as the two girls fought about there group and project.

At the sound of a large crash, Cleo and Ash jumped from their spots and raced into their sister's room. In front of them lie broken glass and the two pre-teens looking really guilty.

"What happened in here?" Cleo asked the girls.

"Well… Kim said that Elliot wasn't a great partner and wasn't that smart. So I told her Lucy was just as dumb, so she hit me. Then I went to hit her back, but hit the glass bowl, and it broke," Ally explained.

Angela walked in, hair in a messy bun and wearing frilly PJ's, to see what the noise was about. She stood in the doorway watching the mess that was going down.

"Ally, I told you that it was silly to have a boy in our group, not that he was stupid, but now that you mention it, he is not the smartest around," Kim explained to Ally.

"You two, stop it!" Ash exclaimed. "Stop criticizing your friends and get to bed."

"What Ash is trying to say is, you need to stop criticizing friends because they will one day they will be all you have to rely on," Cleo said with a sleepist tone.

"And what Cleo is trying to say is everyone should go to sleep and forget this silly fight ever happened," Angela said Yawning.

"Easy for you to say, you're ok with everyone in our group," Kim yelled at Angela.

"I didn't say I liked everyone in my group," Angela corrected. "You're in my group; I would say that is a bit of a downer."

Kim looked at her cousin with pure discuss. She ran up to her and was quickly stopped by Ash and Cleo. Now hanging in her sister and Step-brother's arms, she gave Angela an I'm-going-to-kill-you look. Angela slowly backed out of Kim's room and went back to bed. Kim struggled in the teens' arms till the both of them just gave up and dropped her on the ground. Now out of energy and quite mad she sat at the feet of her brother and sister looking out the door.

"Look girls, sometimes you will get people in your group that you like and some you don't. It is just part of life. Get use to it," Cleo told Ally and Kim.

"That's easy for you to say with a group in school with only your friend in it," Ash pointed out.

Kim and Ally gave Cleo a look that could kill. They did not like what their siblings were saying.

"You know what," Ash said after about a minute of silence, "It is time for bed. So good-night and I'll see you in the morning." And with that he left the room, leaving the girls staring daggers at each other.

In Class 

"Now I want to go over a few things about the trip coming up. Did everyone get the permission slips signed?" Mrs. Vandal asked as soon as the bell rang.

All the students came up and handed in the permission slips and went back to their seats.

"Now can you all please sit in your element groups?" Mrs. Vandal asked going through the permission slips.

All the students went into a frenzy trying to get with their groups. As soon as all the students were in their groups, Mrs. Vandal started to pass out supply lists. Each list was special to each element. Mrs. Vandal explained that the trip was a game to see which element was the best.

Cleo started to look over her list and saw some different items on it.

"Ok, we all will need a backpack, a water bottle, a compass, a small snack, tennis shoes, suntan lotion, and clothes that are ok to get wet," Kelly read aloud.

She looked up at the two girls and one boy in her group. Cleo was still freaked about the getting wet part, that she did not hear it when Charlotte made a guess to where they were going.

"Are we going to Mako Island?" She asked.

"Why yes, Charlotte, we are. You have a great sense of secrets," Mrs. Vandal told her.

Emma and Lewis looked freaked about the Mako thing, Cleo was still on the getting wet thing, while Rikki was giggling about the sense of secrets thing.

Emma looked down at the list and let Ash read it aloud. "We will need to bring a backpack, a water bottle, long sleeved top, long pants, tennis shoes, and a small snack."

"Long pants and a long sleeved top?" Emma questioned.

Ash nodded as he said, "That is what is on the list."

Across the room, Rikki was reading the list that was given to her group. "A backpack, a small snack, a water bottle, suntan lotion, a fan, a hat, tennis shoes, and light clothes."

"It sounds like we are going to the dessert," Zane pointed out. "How hot can it get on Mako?" Zane asked more toward Rikki then anyone else.

Rikki shrugged just as Merriam added, "I am not going to hike in the sun when it is over 26 degrees out."

"Well I guess we are," Kenly said sweetly.

As this was going on, Lewis was looking through his list as Nate was reading it aloud, "A backpack, a small snack, a water bottle, a small laptop, tennis shoes, comfortable clothes, and suntan lotion."

"Why the computer?" Kendall asked.

"I guess we will have to use it," Bill said sarcastically.

Kendall gave him a look that said he was not impressed. Then he looked back down at his list.

"Ok, so we start the trip in three days at 6am and we will all meet here," Mrs. Vandal started. "After I take roll, we will all get on the bus that will take us to the peer. Once there we will hop on a bout and head over to the island." She looked around the room as everyone took this in. "Once at Mako, we will separate into our four groups and I will explain the game."

Just then the bell rang and all the students quickly ran out of the room. Cleo, Emma and Lewis started down the hall toward English. On their way they passed Charlotte talking with Kenly and Mary. They were whispering, but when the three passed Charlotte stopped talking and just looked up at them. Cleo and Charlotte exchanged a long stare down before going their separate ways.


	5. Chapter 4:Mako

Chapter 4: Mako 

The three boats landed on Mako Island at 7am. The 16 students unloaded onto the beach and waited for their teachers orders. Mrs. Vandal stood with three other teachers and held four folders. The teens were in their element groups and had all their supplies.

"Ok, students, this is your task. I or one of these other teachers will take you deep into the woods of the island... while you are wearing blindfolds. With the supplies you brought and a map I will give you, your group will work together to find your way out," Mrs. Vandal said looking at the students.

Emma, Rikki, Cleo, Lewis, Zane and Ash all were thinking this was going to be a breeze. They knew Mako Island better then anyone else. Charlotte was thinking that it will be great to have Cleo on her team.

"Now I'm going to take water, Mrs. Jean will take Ice, Mr. Hall will take Fire, and Mr. Frank will take the scientist. The end will be this beach. Good Luck everyone." With this Mrs. Vandal was gone and the water group was on her tail.

To Cleo it took a long hike up hill. The sun was high in the sky by now and she could hear water. Cleo knew for a fact that they were now walking on rocks and close to a waterfall, the waterfall. _This will be the perfect place to start _Cleo thought even before they were aloud to take the blindfolds off.

"Now everyone I want you to take off your blindfold." Everyone did as they were told. Two of the four students were taking in the sight. The other two were celebrating the fact that they were going to get an "A"

"I just have one more think to tell you," Mrs. Vandal said as the students turned to look at her. "The winner gets a wonderful prize. Good luck, because you can began in 3…2…1." As she finished she disappeared into the woods.

As soon as she was gone, Kelly and Jake went right to the map. They did not have it long before Charlotte ripped it out of their hands. She took it and through it into the water. Kelly and Jake were in shock.

"It's that way, watch your step. It's slippery up here. You can fall easily," Charlotte said walking towered the beach.

"She's right, these are slippery rocks, but go fast," Cleo said following Charlotte without another word.

Kelly and Jake followed with even fewer words.

Ice 

The walk was endless and it felt like it was getting colder every time they took another step. Emma was slowly walking closer and closer to Ash. Mary was rambling on about science while Byron was getting annoyed by her voice. Finally Mrs. Jean stopped Mary's story with the speech about the prize and race. After the speech, she told them to take off their blindfolds and was gone.

The four teens looked around the dark place. There was no sun anywhere and it was getting hard to read the map.

"Know where we are?" Ash asked quietly to his girlfriend.

"No idea," Emma confessed.

"So I guess we need to get out of this cave," Mary said looking around.

"And which way is out?" Byron asked spinning around.

Emma looked one way Ash the other. Mary was staring down at the map and trying to see which way the exit was. Byron looked down the cave and asked, "What is that small light?"

The other three looked to where he was pointing and saw the small sliver of light coming from the endless tunnel. The other way there was no light and looked like it went into a vast pit of nothingness. The students looked at each other, shrugged, and started towered the light at the end of the cave tunnel.

Fire 

Rikki and Zane tugged along behind Mr. Hall. It was starting to get hotter with each step as the sun beat down on their heads. Merriam was complaining every time they went up what felt like another step. Kenly was slowly walking behind Rikki and Zane, garbing on to them every time she tripped over a root.

Mr. Hall soon stopped walking and started to speak of the race and the prize. As he spoke, his voice started to get farther and farther away. By the time he told them to take the blindfolds he was already out of sight and the map was sitting on a rock. There were few trees around and it looked as if they were on top of the world.

"Where are we?" Zane asked as Rikki started towered what looked like a hole in the ground.

She looked down, and then stumbled backwards. Zane was next to her the second she fell down to the ground. Kenly was curious now. She too looked down the hole and saw exactly what Rikki saw, a pool of water with a bunch of dark rocks surrounding it.

"We're on top of the volcano," Rikki stuttered out.

"And how do we get down from here?" Merriam asked.

Kenly picked up the map and then at everyone else. She shrugged.

"We could jump," Zane joked.

Rikki punched him in the arm to show her disapproval to that plan. Kenly and Merriam were looking at him like he had three heads.

"Or we could go that way," Kenly said starting down off the volcano.

The other three followed with no complaints.

Scientists

As they walk, the group was constantly moving tree branches and push through brush on the forest floor. It was harder to get through with the blindfolds but Mr. Frank did the best he could to help the group. As the walked Mr. Frank also explained the race and prize.

After what felt like forever, Mr. Frank stopped and told them to take their blindfolds off. Lewis looked around and saw nothing that looked familiar. The trees were tall and all looked exactly alike. That was also all they saw. Not even Mr. Frank was in sight. The only thing out of place was the map sitting under the tree.

"Then I guess we look at the map and get out of this place," Nate said.

"Wow, you really are an idiot," Lewis said as the other two boys laughed.

"Not funny," Nate exclaimed as he picked up the map.

Kendall looked over at the map then exclaimed, "I can not read this."

Bill and Lewis too looked over at the map. They then looked around the forest. Nate looked around and then pointed in a direction, saying, and "Let's try this way."

The other three boys had no objections and, stupidly, followed Nate.

Water 

The four students broke through the forest and on to the beach first. Mrs. Vandal was so shocked at their speed, it took her a second to actually register that they did it.

"So what's the prize?" Charlotte asked.

"Well let's wait till the other three groups get here," Mrs. Vandal said with a laugh.

Cleo and Kelly sat down on the beach as Jake swam in the ocean and Charlotte talked with Mrs. Vandal. As the Two girls sat there, Kelly went about explaining her crazy obsession with mythical beings. It soon drove Cleo crazy as she started to wonder why it was taking her friends so long to get out of a forest they knew by heart.


	6. Chapter 5: Lost

Chapter 5: Lost 

The heat started to bare down on the four teens as they walked through the forest and down the volcano. With Kenly leading the way and Rikki not knowing where they were, the group had little to talk about as they trudged on. Well except Merriam, who complained about the heat or the hike every ten minutes.

After at least 30 minutes of walking and not getting anywhere nearer the beach Rikki spoke up. "This is not the right way. We are just heading deeper into the forest with every step."

"Rikki's right," Zane announced. "It did not take this long to get here, and then it should not take this long to get back."

Kenly stopped and looked at Zane and Rikki. She took another look at the map and then tossed it to Rikki as she said, "If you think you can do better, try."

Rikki gladly took the map and started them in a new direction. Still going down hill, the teens were slowly getting cooler as the fell deeper into the woods. Zane soon fell in step with Rikki as they walked at least two steps ahead of the other two. As soon as Zane was sure the other girls were not paying attention to them he whispered to Rikki, "Do you really know where you are going?"

Rikki answered quietly with a, "Not so sure where I am."

Zane left it at that and walked quietly next to Rikki for a long time.

Ice

Walking toward the light was taking longer then it should have. Emma walked behind Byron and Ash who stayed behind Mary. Mary did not speak as they got closer and closer to the light at the end of the cave. But Emma was thinking of something else. The fact that as they got closer to the exit, it got cooler. Soon she felt as if the place was ice. She knew she was not alone on this because she could see Ash in front of her shivering.

"Mary do you really think this is the way out. It keeps getting cooler as if we are walking into a freezer and that would mean we are walking further into the cave, right," Emma soon pointed out.

Mary turned around and faced Emma. She was staring right at her. The boys watched as the girls just stood there.

"Emma, light means exit. I don't care if it is where we came in but as long as we get out," Mary informed everyone before she started walking again.

Emma, being as stubborn as she was, stayed put. Ash stopped when he saw what she was doing. "Emma, let's just try getting out of this cave." He told her. "You might know where you are in the end," he said more quietly.

In the end Emma agreed to keep going towered the light at the end of the cave, just until they learned it was not the end of the tunnel. As it turned out it was not an exit at all.

When they got to the light, they saw that it was just a hole in the roof over a pool of water. To Emma, it looked like a good recreation of the moon pool. To everyone else it looked like a strange place to have a pond.

Mary got down on her knees and started to say, "It's a tunnel. If we could just swim out of the tunnel…"

"NO!" Emma blurted before she could finish. "I have learned my lesion with swimming in strange pools, in caves, this late."

Everyone looked at her as if she were crazy. Ash gave her a look that told her to cut it out. Emma got the message.

"I don't want to know what lesion you are talking about, but do you really see any other way out." Mary said getting in close to Emma's face.

"We could try what I was saying before, going the other way," Emma pointed out.

"It would take way to long," Mary protested.

"I don't care."

"Well I do."

"Girls stop. We need a way out and you two fighting is not helping," Ash finally said to break the girls up.

"Can we just get out of her?" Byron asked looking to their two exit plans.

Scientists

"Do you even know where you are going?" Lewis finally asked.

"I don't think so," Kendall answered for Nate.

"I do," Nate said. "The beach is…" He pointed in random direction, "That way."

"That's up hill," Lewis pointed out.

The boys stood still and quiet for a second. There was no noise other then the animals around the forest.

"Fine let's follow Nate's path." Lewis finally agreed.

They started on the path. It took them up hill and some how Lewis knew this was not the way. Still he did not say a word about it. They had been walking up that hill for more then 10 minutes when Lewis finally stopped them again.

"Guys, we are definitely not going the right way," Lewis told them.

"Is it just me or do any of you hear water?" Bill asked.

The boys stood quiet for another second. Then Lewis blurted out, "This way." And started towered the sound of the water. The others followed.

Quickly, they came to a water fall and a stream. Lewis yelled out, "I know where we are."

"Where?" Kendall asked

Lewis looked at him for a second. Then he just started to walk towered the beach. The other three boys followed with no complaints. In no time they were on the beach looking at Cleo and Kelly on the beach and Charlotte and Jake in the ocean.

"Where are the others? They should be back by now," Lewis asked Cleo in a whisper.

"No idea, I thought they should be back by now too," Cleo whispered back just as Lewis sat down.

"This could not be good," Lewis whispered just as Charlotte walked up.

She stood next to Lewis and asked just loud enough for the both of them to hear, "Why are the other teams not back? Emma and Rikki know this place well enough."

"Why do you care?" Cleo asked

"Because it is getting late and I'm getting bored." Charlotte answered.

Lewis and Cleo looked up at the setting sun then back at each other. The both were thinking _this is not good at all. _


	7. Chapter 6: Cyrstals

Chapter 6: Crystal 

The sun started to set as Rikki and Zane hopelessly guided the fire group into the forest and to an unknown location. To Rikki, nothing seemed familiar and the darkness setting in was not helping them much.

Suddenly, Kenly slipped and started to fall into what seamed to be a whole in the ground. Everyone was at the whole in a second. They looked down into the darkness to see nothing.

"Are you ok?" Zane called down.

It took awhile but eventually Kenly called back, "I'm fine, and you tree need to see this."

Rikki shrugged and then slowly lowered herself into the whole. As the others lowered themselves in, Rikki looked around. It was mesmerizing. There were crystals hanging from the ceiling and walls. They were also coming up from every spot in the ground. The crystals were shining red and Rikki was staring right at them.

Zane saw this right away and after examining them for a second, he knew exactly what was wrong.

"Fire Crystal, I learned about it from Lewis," He explained.

"What's so cool about Fire Crystal?" Merriam asked.

"I know that it is suppose to make a mermaid with fire power, stronger and mesmerized," Kenly said as Zane became very shocked. She saw this and quickly added, "I got that from a journal my grandmother wrote."

"Well, now that we are all down here, how do we get out?" Merriam asked as Zane grabbed Rikki by the arm not breaking her trance.

"I guess we could start by following the tunnel," Zane said pulling Rikki along as he started down the tunnel.

The other two followed with no complaints at all. After awhile, though, Kenly did start to wonder what was going on with Rikki. She quickly jumped up in step with Zane and let Merriam fall behind. As she did this she asked in a whisper, "Is something wrong with Rikki?"

Zane looked at his girlfriend then at the girl beside him. "I wouldn't be able to answer that question," He told her as they walked into an opening with no Fire Crystal. There was a large pool of water and a small tunnel leading out of it. Under the water were the Fire Crystal and two other types of stones Zane did not know about.

He gripped Rikki tighter as the four of them entered the room. All of a sudden, Rikki fainted. Zane grabbed her just as she fell. Kenly and Merriam were shocked. The sun was gone and it was almost pitch-black in the cave. Just then, the water started to glow just like the moon pool on a full moon night. Rikki slowly came awake and confused. The other two girls were in aw at what they saw.

Past the pool, there was an opening to what seamed to be the outside world. Zane noticed it first, then Kenly who pointed it out to Merriam. Then they looked at Rikki lying, weak in Zane's arms. There was no leaving till everyone could go. It was also pitch-black in the tunnel to the outside world and they would not be able to see.

"I think we should stay here tonight," Zane said softly. "It is light, warm, and safe from danger. It is also better then feeling our way out."

Everyone agreed and started to make their beds for the night in a cave.

Ice

Mary and Emma were in a long silent debate on weather they should take the pool or start the other way. Just as the sun went down the pool started to light up. Everyone was shocked to see such a thing.

"I dare you to touch it," Byron whispered to Mary.

"Fine," Mary said as she kneeled down nearer the glowing pool.

She stuck her hand out and was close to touching it, when Emma pulled her back and they both tumbled backwards. Mary looked at her like she was nuts before getting up.

"What was that for?" Mary asked angrily.

"I just think it to be safer not to touch weird things," Emma said. "Especially glowing water."

"You are one crazed up fruit loop. I don't think water can hurt you," Mary protested.

"You would be surprised what water could do, Mary." Emma said.

"Well I am done listening to you. I'm swimming through that tunnel and finding where it leads. Weather you follow or not is your choice." And with that, Mary jumped into the pool and was gone.

Emma just barley dodged the water. The boys were shocked that Mary had just jumped into the same water Emma had said was dangers.

"What trouble do you think that girl is getting herself into?" Ash asked.

"Well let's just say, thinks seam very familiar," Emma whispered to her boyfriend.

Fire 

The four teens were just settling down when all of a sudden, there was a noise from the pool. Rikki, now felling better, and Kenly jumped up to find Mary coming up from the pool.

"Mary, where did you come from?" Kenly asked.

"The tunnel under the water, from a cave on the other side," Mary answered coming to the edge of the pool.

"This cave is getting weirder and weirder by the minute," Zane said as he and Merriam got up.

Mary got out and sat on the side of the pool. Kenly sat down next to her.

"I can't believe it. Little Miss. Emma let you get in strange glowing water after…" Rikki cut off.

Mary looked up at her and shook her head. "She tried to stop me but I did it anyway."

"Smart girl," Rikki whispered. "This is probably one of those times you should have listened to her," Rikki said louder.

Mary looked up at Rikki before trying to stand up. As soon as she did she got faint and fell into Kenly's arms. Zane jumped at them. Rikki and Merriam were shocked.

"Now do you believe you shouldn't have gone in the glowing water?" asked Rikki.

"This dose not look good," Merriam pointed out. "What about the other three?"

Ice 

Ash leaned down by the pool. He could not see anything. Mary was not coming back. This started to freak the boys out. Emma was staying pretty calm.

"It can't be that far. How long do you think it should take to get through?" Ash asked looking at Emma.

"How should I know?" Emma asked.

Ash looked at Emma and then stood up. He started to pace around Byron, who was standing still staring at the water like he was in a trance.

"Ok we will wait a few more minutes then if she still is not back, I'll check it out," Emma said. "Let's hope she's back."

"No, I'll go. I won't let you get hurt to," Ash said and looked at Byron, who looked like he was going to pass out.

"Trust me I don't think he will be a problem in ten minutes," Emma told her boyfriend in a whisper.


	8. Chapter 7: Caves

Chapter 7: Caves 

Byron looked at the water then out of nowhere said, "I can't take this. I'm going after her."

"Byron, do you really think that is a good idea?" Ash asked.

"She is not back, if she is hurt, someone needs to help her. And that someone at least needs to know how to swim," Byron pointed out.

"I think if anyone needs to look for her, it should be me," Emma said but Byron didn't listen and jumped in after Mary.

Ash and Emma looked at each other and Ash stated, "This is not good."

"You can say that again."

Fire 

Mary lie in Kenly's arms as the other three sat around them. They were all around the mysterious glowing pool of water when someone else came out. It was Byron. He looked up at Mary in Kenly's arms and asked, "What happened?"

"That water happened," Merriam answered.

One look at Byron's face right then said that he was freaked. He slid out of the water next to Kenly holding Mary and fell backwards with his legs still in the water.

"Where's Emma and Ash?" Rikki asked.

"Back through the tunnel," Byron answered her.

Rikki looked under the water and saw what he was talking about. The small tunnel under the water had light coming out of it. She looked at Zane, then back at the pool. After taking a deep breath, she jumped in and was gone before anyone could object.

Rikki underwater

Through the tunnel, there were two different exits. One exit was right at the level of the tunnel Rikki just left and the other was much lower and would probably take longer to swim through. Rikki guessed that the one at the level was the tunnel Mary and Byron took for the fact it would take less time to swim through. She took it.

The next thing she saw was Ash and Emma sitting on the rocky ground. Rikki swam up.

"Rikki!" Emma said in shock.

"The tunnel leads to another cave. Mary and Byron are there," Rikki told them.

"That's great news," Ash exclaimed.

"Yeah, and there is another tunnel under that one," Rikki explained to them.

"That sounds promising," Emma said and then, forgetting everything she said before, jumped in after Rikki.

The two of them swam back through the tunnel. Rikki showed Emma the deeper tunnel and then Emma swam down and through. Rikki followed. The tunnel was also longer then the others. It took them longer to get to the end then it did Rikki to the other cave. Once on the other side, though, it was nothing but open water. Fish swam, dolphins jumped and sharks eat, but there was no land and no boats.

"Well we're out," Rikki said after the girls broke the surface of the water.

"But we aren't anywhere," Emma pointed out.

"Right, we should go back to Ash," Rikki said.

The girls went down under the water and swam back to the cave where Ash was. Ash was pacing the pool worrying about the two girls. He was relived to see them again. After they were both out, the three of them sat down and the girls explained what they saw. After they finished their story, the three of them sat quiet. That's when they heard the others in the other cave.

"How far is it?" Ash asked.

"To the other cave? Not far at all," Rikki answered.

"I'm going, wish me luck," Ash said right before he jumped in the pool and disappeared.

The girls looked at each other then back at the pool. "Now what?" Rikki asked, but Emma just shrugged. Then they sat and waited.

The Other Cave 

"How do you feel?" Zane asked Byron.

"Fine, I don't think it was the water, just Mary," Byron told him.

"Do you think Rikki got to the other side?" Kenly asked.

Before anyone could answer, Ash came up from the water. The first thing he said was, "This water is strange."

"You're telling me. I think I saw a fist with two heads," Bryon confessed just as Ash swam to the edge of the pool.

"Ash, where are the girls?" Zane asked.

"Other cave," Ash answered. "Zane, can I talk to you alone."

After getting out of the water Ash took Zane by the arm and pulled him to the other side of the room. He then explained the situation with the tunnel and the girls and everything else the girls told him. Then he explained a plain he had. Zane showed him the door to get out of the cave and they came up with a better plain.

After what seamed to everyone like forever, the two boys came back to the group. "We have a plan," they told the group.

At the beach 

Cleo and Lewis were starting to worry, now that it was getting dark. Mrs. Vandal had sent out the other teachers to look, but that was also 2 hours ago. Charlotte was getting restless with the whole situation as Kelly talked everyone's ear off. Stars came out and the crescent moon shone over the beach. If the other students weren't missing, it would have been a beautiful, romantic night.

Kendall slowly paced behind where Cleo and Lewis were standing. He kept mumbling the same thing, "I can't let this happen to my sister." He was starting to freak Bill and Jake out. Kelly was interested in what he meant by he couldn't let it happen while Charlotte was actually listening.

Finally Cleo asked, "What can't you let happen to your sister?"

"She's going to get hurt. I just know she is going to get hurt." He told her in somewhat of a whisper.

"How do you know that?" Charlotte asked in the same type of whisper.

He looked Charlotte in the eye then said, "She's my sister, I know a lot of things that go on with her. You remember. We're twins."

"You know, I heard that sometimes twins can hear each other in their minds," Kelly pointed out.

"That doesn't happen. I just feel things about Kenly that end up being true," Kendall told them. "But all those things you hear in stories don't happen."

"Wait twins… I forgot that either Ash or I need to pick up Kristina and Katrina in an hour. My dad is going to kill me… or Ash," Cleo blurted.

"Then we need to find the others in under an hour and get back to the main land," Kendall said.

"Exactly, how do we do that?" Kelly asked.

"We split up," Lewis said. "To stay safe, Cleo can go with Kendall, Charlotte can go with Kelly and I'll take Bill and Jake. This way at least one person knows where they are."

After a short disagree meant, they all started out in their groups. They were so caught up in finding the others that they forgot to tell Mrs. Vandal they were leaving. When she turned around, they were already gone.

Cleo walked slowly but still ahead of Kendall. Neither of them was talking but both were getting a strange signal to head in the direction they were. They didn't need to talk about what they were just doing, something was telling them to just do it. After their long, silent walk, they ended up at a ledge over looking the ocean. It seemed peaceful but at the same time very dangerous. That's when they heard what they heard.


	9. Chapter 8:screams

Chapter 8: Screams 

Charlotte and Kelly walked back up to the stream and moon pool entrance. The sun was starting to set as the hour became 7. Kelly kept a close pace behind Charlotte as she walked quickly down the path.

Just as they got back to the stream, Charlotte heard a loud shriek. It was so loud that she had to cover her ears. When she did Kelly looked at her like she was a nut.

"What are you doing," She asked.

"Don't you hear that shriek?" Charlotte asked.

"No," Kelly said shaking her head. "Maybe it is so high pitched only dogs can hear it, and you happen to be coming into some werewolf powers."

Charlotte looked at Kelly like she had three heads. Still she did have a point. For some reason she heard something that Kelly had not. And the noise was not stopping.

Emma and Rikki 

Emma and Rikki sat in the cave that was starting to get dark as the sun went down. Just then Zane came out of the tunnel. He swam to the side of the pool and said, "We have a plan to get out of here."

"What is it?" Rikki asked.

"Well, as Rikki knows, Mary is not feeling well. Well… we are going to follow the tunnel in the other cave before one of the others starts to not feel well. Well, you to can ether go through the same tunnel in a minute, or the underwater one," Zane explained.

"You know you said "well" 5 times," Emma pointed out for fun.

Zane nodded and looked though the tunnel again. That's when the girls heard it, a shriek so loud that it would break glass. They quickly put their hands to there ears as Zane looked at them like they were nuts.

"Don't you hear that crazy loud shriek?" Rikki asked.

"No, I don't hear a thing," Zane admitted.

"Well, we do, and it is loud," Emma told him.

Zane shrugged, and then jumped back into the pool, leaving the girls alone.

The Other Cave 

Ash sat next to Kenly and Mary as Mary got over her dizziness. She was now sitting up, away from the water, and out of Kenly's arms. Byron sat next to Merriam, who was still complaining about the whole situation. The whole group was waiting for Zane's permission to go through the dark tunnel and get out of the strange cave.

Just then, Ash watched as Mary and Kenly put their hands up to their ears. They were blocking a shriek only the two of them could hear. The shriek sounded like a girl in trouble, and/or pain. It was loud and annoying.

"What is that shriek?" Mary asked.

"What Shriek?" Byron asked.

"There's no shriek." Merriam said.

"I don't hear anything," Ash told them.

"We do and it sounds like a girl is being hurt in the other room," Kenly told the boys.

Byron and Ash looked at each other and shrugged. Just then Zane came out of the pool and looked at the girls "I thought it was a mermaid thing," He said under his breath so on one could hear. Then he said in a louder voice, "What is going on?"

"There is a shriek," Mary whined.

Then just like that, the shriek was gone. The two girls looked at each other obviously very confused.

Lewis, Jake, and Bill 

Lewis rounded a corner with Jake and Bill on his tail. He knew where he was going, Cleo hid there when she didn't want to go to her 16th birthday party. No one was there. As far as he could see, the forest was empty. That's when he heard something that sounded like a guy call out a name he knew well.

He followed the voice up a hill until he came to a ledge looking over the ocean. There on the ledge, he saw Kendall holding Cleo who looked past out. Just as Jake and Bill came up out of breath, Lewis went over to Cleo and took her from Kendall, just before he fell to the ground as well.

"What is going on here," Jake asked looking at Cleo in Lewis's arms, awake now but week.

"There was a shriek, a loud shriek, next thing I knew, I was in your arms," Cleo explained.

"If it was so loud, then why didn't we hear it?" Bill asked.

"I don't know," Kendall said now awake.

Cleo looked over the ledge and was surprised at what she thought she saw. She blinked, but when she looked back, it was gone. She shook the image from her mind and whispered, "I must be losing it."

Just then Charlotte and Kelly came out of the forest to look over the ledge. They saw Lewis holding Cleo, which still made Charlotte tense, and Kendall sitting nearer the ledge looking there way.

"Do you guys hear a shriek?" Charlotte asked wiping the image of Cleo and Lewis out of her mind as Cleo stood up.

"Cleo and I heard it, you did too," Kendall told the girls.

"You two heard and not the other boys. I didn't either," Kelly confessed. "Weird, is there some sort of power I don't know about?"

"You could say that," Cleo told the obsessed girl.

Kelly nodded in agreement as Charlotte turned back to talk with Kendall, Cleo, and Lewis. "So none of you found the others," Charlotte pointed out.

"Well…" Cleo said hesitantly.

"What did you see?" Lewis asked.

Cleo pulled him down so her face was level with his ear and whispered, "I thought I saw Emma or Rikki out over the ledge."

"Or…?" Lewis asked in the same whisper.

"It was only their tail and only one, but I was a bit delusional and could have been seeing things," Cleo admitted. "It might have just been a dolphin, or my imagination."

Suddenly, there was a noise from the woods. A quick cry of pain from a girl, then the other teens, excluding Rikki and Emma, came out of the woods. They seamed tired and out of breath, but safe. As soon as Kendall saw his sister, he was by her side in a second.

"Where are Emma and Rikki?" Lewis asked Zane and Ash.

"I really don't know," Ash confessed getting by his step-sister's side so she could see he was ok.

And with that being said, Lewis started to freak out as his watch charmed for eight. Ash looked at Cleo and Kendall held his twin. Merriam was quiet, for the first time that day, as Charlotte and Mary exchanged worried glances. Byron looked down as Jake and Bill looked away. Zane looked out to the ocean and something that was a bit reassuring and secretive.


	10. Chapter 9: strike one

Chapter 9: Strike One 

The walk back down to the beach was fast, especially since Cleo knew the way by heart. No one spoke as the sun went down and the sky became dark. At one point it became so dark it was almost imposable to see, but they still made it to the beach before Mrs. Vandal sent out a search party.

Parents were there, worried sick about there kids, and to their luck, so were Emma and Rikki. It was a great to be back to somewhere they knew.

The boat ride was long but getting back home was a great feeling. Emma went right to her room after she entered the house. Before she went to bed, there was a knock on her door. Without being invited, Zane entered.

"What a day," he said standing in her doorway.

"You could say that again," Emma responded.

"Look, I just wanted to know, back there, with the scream, were you two making that up?" Zane asked with concern in his voice.

"No, why would we have made that up? The situation was scary enough as it is without two mermaids hearing ghosts," Emma explained. "Anyway, if we had made it up, then why did Cleo say she heard it too?"

"I… she did? That's just spooky. I just really wanted to know. Good night." And with that Zane left and closed the door behind him, leaving Emma sitting in the pink fairy, unicorn and mermaid filled room alone.

_I really wonder what that noise was _Emma thought. The shriek had gotten her thinking. She tried to remember every story ever told about Mako island and only came up with tails of mermaids (true), stories of accidents (fake), and the silly hermit story Rikki and Cleo told Charlotte and Kim (really fake). _I'll have to look it up. _

The Next Day 

Rikki stood by her locker and was searching for her English paper when Lewis came up behind her. The sound of his voice freaked her out and she jumped, dropping the binders she was holding. She spun around to face Lewis with a stern look on her face.

"Sorry," He said as Rikki bent down to pick up her things. "Hey, I just hear from Cleo that if Mrs. Vandal messes up two more times then she will be fired and we will have a free period. How does that sound?"

"Another free period, that would be great," Rikki said placing her things back in her locker. "Less class is nice."

"What do you mean less class? You're not thinking of skipping?" Emma asked.

"No, if Mrs. Vandal gets two more strikes we get another free period," Rikki explained as she pulled out what she needed and closed her locker.

"You mean we would not need to have an extracurricular class on our recorders?" Emma asked as the three of them started for Cleo's locker.

"I guess not, they just want us in class more," Lewis said with a laugh.

The girls did not find this as funny as Lewis seamed to. They soon came up on Cleo at her locker and Ash standing behind her. Not long after they had been there Zane came up behind them.

"I heard about the free period," Zane said to his friends.

"I know, isn't great. All we have to do is make sure she messes up two more times," Cleo said with destruction in her voice.

Everyone looked at her like she had said let's rob a bank and blame it on Mrs. Vandal. Cleo just smiled her sweet smile and walked on. Ash gave them a farewell wave, to Emma hug, and went off to his first class. Lewis and Zane said their good-byes and went on their way to Math as the girls headed off to science. None of them wanted elective period to come.

Elective Period 

After lunch the class slowly entered their class room to see their teacher in a HOT red dress and her hair falling lose down her back. The boys were so mesmerized by the look of their teacher that they did not hear when she mentioned that the class was going to start a new project.

"There will be two teams of 3 and 5 teams of 2. I will place a piece of paper in front of you. It will have your partner or partners name on it," Mrs. Vandal said pacing around letting the boys drool and the girls get mad. "Don't turn your paper over until I say."

It took forever for her to say ok, but once she did, no eyes were on her or her dress. Some were shocked others were scared as Mrs. Vandal started to explain the project.

"Your team will come up with a scavenger hunt around the school with three objects I give them. They can have the rules of their hunt anyway they want, searching for one object at a time or all three at once." As she spoke she looked into the eye of each boy in the room. When the girls saw this, the boys put their heads down for the rest of the class. "You will come up with a set of directions to the location you hide each or all of your objects. Then you will trade with another team and go searching. The first team to find all three objects wins the looking portion. The last team's puzzle will win the puzzle potion."

Just then the bell rang and the boys brought their heads back up to hear their teacher say, "Good luck to all of you."

Everyone left the class room and started to talk about their groups. Cleo came up behind her friends just to hear Emma announce that she was partners with Zane and Lewis.

"How about you three?" Lewis asked.

"I don't think you want to know," Rikki, and Cleo said in unison.

"You obviously didn't get each other again," Zane said as Emma giggled.

They both gave him a look that said duh before, Rikki said in a soft voice "I got Merriam."

In the same soft voice, Cleo said, "I got Charlotte."

"Well, I got Byron," Ash said in his normal voice.

Lewis, Zane and Emma didn't say a word. They just started off to their next class without even saying good-bye. Cleo smiled and then said, "They did not take that well." Then she started off to her next class. Rikki smiled at Ash before they split too.


	11. Chapter 10: partners

Chapter 10: Partners 

The sun shone bright as Cleo walked out of her third period class and down to the lunch aria. She was not happy about it, but she walked slowly up to Charlotte who was sitting alone as far as she could from Cleo's normal table. Charlotte was also not that happy about the partnership, but was playing along so that nothing would go wrong and the girls could get it over with.

"Ok so what are the objects we are hiding?" Charlotte asked right after Cleo sat down.

With a small smile Cleo pulled out of her bag, a bracelet with the word "believe" on it, a dark green piece of cloth, and a small tea cup. "Kinda random if you ask me," she said.

"Well we could get started by finding a place they would hide easily. Like some place in the grass for the cloth and in the girls bathroom for the bracelet," Charlotte suggested.

Cleo smiled and said in a small voice, "That's not a bad idea."

Zane Lewis and Emma

"I can't believe that they are actually sitting with each other and nothing is happing," Lewis said when he sat down with Zane and Emma. "I mean, the hate each other."

"Well that is kinda wired, but I guess theta are putting their feelings aside and getting along for the project," Emma told him.

"Your right and I guess they will go right back to hating each other after the project. Who are we talking about anyway?" Zane asked

Emma and Lewis looked at Zane like he was nuts and then Emma pointed over to where Cleo was sitting with Charlotte. Then she saw sitting only two tables away, Rikki and Merriam talking as if they were best friends. Zane saw it too. He clutched the sandwich in his hand till it crumbled on his plate.

At the same time Lewis was motioning to Ash and Byron sitting two tables away from Rikki. Emma looked over and took a deep breath, telling herself that they barely knew each other. It did not help much.

"What do you think they are talking about?" Emma finally asked.

"Us," the boys answered in unison.

"Have a bit of confidence in the girls. They are not that mean," Emma insured "Well Rikki might. But she barely talks about herself, let alone her boyfriend."

"That's reassuring," Zane said unconvinced. "Anyway, I trust Rikki. It's Merriam I don't trust. She's mad at me and might tell Rikki things about me that I don't really want anyone to know."

"Zane, you live with me. If I know something, she does," Emma pointed out.

"She has a point. You have nothing to worry about. I do. Cleo and Charlotte HATE each other. I'm afraid that having them as close as they are and alone, someone will get hurt." Lewis said.

Emma looked over at where Cleo and charlotte were. They seemed to be actually be getting along. "Lewis, I don't think anyone will get hurt from that," She said pointing to Cleo and Charlotte.

"Looks like they are really getting along," Zane said pointing out the obvious. "What about ash and Byron? Are you worried about them?"

Emma looked over at her boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend. She gave the two boys in front of her a small smile. "I trust Ash. And to tell you the truth neither boy is that smart. I'm safe." Emma pointed out.

The two boys looked at each other and shared a look that said otherwise. Then Lewis finally said, "We need to start on our project. Anyone have any ideas?"

Rikki and Merriam 

"Ok, what are we hiding," Rikki asked as soon as she sat down with Merriam.

"Hi to you too," Merriam said trying to be as friendly as she could. "We're hiding these." She pulled out a purple rubber glove, a pink doll dress, and a blue candle.

"Those are a bit random, don't you think?" Rikki asked.

"Well our teacher is a bit random," Rikki pointed out. "She left us out the middle of the woods, remember."

"Don't remind me. I'm still having nightmares," Merriam said.

"It was only two days ago. Not a whole lot has happened since then," Rikki reminded her.

Merriam picked up the dress and said, "I think it might be easiest if we hide all three objects in the same place, but give really hard directions."

"That's a really good idea. This project might be easier than I thought," Rikki said. "You know you're smarter than you look."

"Is that a complement?" Merriam asked.

"I think it was," Rikki said with a scared look.

Then just like that, the two of them got back to the project.

Ash and Byron 

"Hey," Byron called as he came up to the table Ash was sitting at.

Ash quickly looked up to see the curly haired blond standing over him. He put away the book he was reading and said in a soft voice, "Hey."

"So what do we have to do to start this project?" Byron asked. "I have these three objects." He pulled out a small straw hat, a large old key, and a picture of a mermaid.

"These objects are a bit random, but if this is what she gave us, let's get started,' Ash said. "Where do you want to hide these things."

"Why not the ocean? No one will find them there," Byron said.

"They have to be findable at some time. The sea water would ruin them," Ash pointed out to him.

"We could put them in a tin," Byron suggested

"No one can find them there." Ash looked up in the air then back at Byron. "We need to find a place around school."

"How about the pool?" Byron was not giving up on water so easily. "We could put the picture in a tin."

"Why don't we stay away from the water?" Ash was getting a little antsy with Byron.

"Doesn't Emma like water?" Byron's question shocked ash a bit.

"Um… I thought we were talking about the project. How did Emma get into this?" Ash asked looking over at his girlfriend talking to Zane and Lewis.

"Well, I was just wondering, you know since we're talking about water."

"When did we start talking about water?" _This guy is nuts. No wonder Emma broke up with him. _ Ash thought.

"I thought we were talking about hiding the mermaid picture in water?" _This guy is really lost it. How could Emma like him. _Byron thought.

"Mermaid picture, water, That's actually not a bad idea," Ash said shocking Byron right out of his thoughts. "I mean, where do you find mermaids? In the water. It's genius."

"I know. I'm good."

"Sure you are," Ash said sarcastically as he looked away.


	12. Chapter 11: food fight

Chapter 11: Food Fights 

"She's still sitting with that evil girl," Lewis whispered the next day as he sat down at lunch next to Emma and in front of Zane.

"Look, this project will be over before you know it and we can stop watching them talk with those people," Zane pointed out. "We should just try to ignore it."

Emma pointed over to Rikki and Merriam and said, "Rikki and Merriam look like they are really getting along."

Zane swirled around to see his current girlfriend giggling with his ex-girlfriend. He spun back around to face Emma and Lewis as he said, "Not caring."

"Of course you are," Emma said. "If there is one thing living with you has taught me is that you get jealous easily. And that, my friend, would make any normal guy freak."

"Just stay out of this, Ice Princess," Zane shot back.

Lewis looked confused as he said, "Ice Princess?"

Zane and Emma smiled and simultaneously said, "Don't ask."

Charlotte and Cleo

"So bracelet at middle sink in the second floor girls bathroom," Charlotte confirmed as she wrote down what they had decided.

"And the green cloth in the flower bed outside of the Mythical Studies classroom," Cleo said nicely as Charlotte wrote that down.

Cleo quickly looked down at her lunch. Charlotte looked over at Kendall, who was doing the project with Kelly. She looked back at Cleo, who was now looking at her strangely. Charlotte was the one to look down this time. Neither girl spoke for a second. Then Cleo said softly, "You like him."

"No," Charlotte answered fast before taking it back. "Well… he's Kenly's brother."

"I know that. Everyone at this school knows that," Cleo pointed out. "But you like him."

Charlotte looked away. Cleo knew right away that she was embarrassed. They both knew it was hard to like a guy who just saw you as his friend. Cleo also noticed that having her friend be her new crush's twin sister could end badly. She had already been though the best friend family to your boyfriend secret and knew it was definitely something to get use to. She also felt for Kenly. Cleo also had the best friend's boyfriend as family thing too. Both were hard.

"Don't you think this is weird?" Charlotte finely asked, knocking Cleo out of her train of thoughts.

"You mean us… getting along? Yeah," Cleo answered in her soft voice. Then a second latter said still in her angelic voice, "I won't tell."

"Tell what?"

"Kendall you like him," Cleo answered. "He's Clueless. Even if Kenly's not."

Charlotte smiled thinking that she totally misjudge Cleo.

Ash and Byron 

Ash held up the old key and asked, "Where?"

"The ocean," Byron answered.

"Not happening. I would say around some girl's neck," Ash told him.

"Why? A girl would be so hard to track down," Byron pointed out stupidly.

"That's kinda the point, stupid," Ash said cruelly.

"You don't have to be mean about it," Byron said calmly.

Ash took a deep breath as he thought about just getting a decent grade and forgetting this guy ever excited.

Lewis, Emma, and Zane 

Lewis fiddled with the fish pendant they were to be hiding. He handed it over to Emma, who flipped it in her hand twice before dropping it on the ground. Zane went to pick it up, but in return knocked over his drink. Emma jumped and fortunately didn't get wet. Unfortunately she also knocked Lewis's lunch tray into his lap. As he stood up to wipe to food off his pants, he knocked the spoon sitting on the edge of Emma's yogurt cup, sending it flying through the air. It landed right on Merriam's head, who was only sitting on table away today.

Zane Spun around to see Rikki smiling and Merriam on the verge of yelling, white goop hanging out of her hair. Merriam was so furious. She quickly picked up her spaghetti, from the school cafeteria, and through it right in Lewis and Emma's direction. Luckily, the ducked and it flew right over their heads, but landed right in Charlotte's long, red hair, the sauce blinding in well.

"What in the world," She yelled as she spun around to see Merriam, Emma, Zane and Lewis standing up.

Cleo put her hand to her mouth and looked away, just as Charlotte through her tuna fish sandwich in aim at Merriam. But Merriam ducked and it hit Rikki right in the chest. Rikki stood up and took a spoon full of pudding and flicked it toward Charlotte, but missed and hit Byron.

By now the whole lunch quad was watching the dram, as Byron try to hit Rikki, but got Emma instead. Emma, being mad, through more of her yogurt towards her ex. but hit Ash by accident. She quickly caught here mistake and called in her sweetest voice sorry. But Ash was getting into the fight, just as everyone else was.

Soon, spaghetti was flying, milk was on heads, pudding and yogurt were being flung, and everyone was mad at someone else. In all confusion, someone had managed to call out in his loudest voice, "FOOD FIGHT!" Girls were taking cover behind boys, as they were flinging food in all directions. It was a total mess.

As this happened, Charlotte had found her way towards Lewis Zane and Emma. So had Merriam, Ash and Byron.

"Why did you do that?" Merriam yelled at Lewis.

"It was an accident, Merriam," Lewis told her.

"Then say you're sorry," She demanded.

"Never said I took it back," Lewis said as Rikki and Zane chuckled a little.

"Well you should," Charlotte said cruelly. "You started it and now it is your fault this happened." She pointed to her now spaghettied hair.

"I think it's a pulse," Rikki said. "It hides your hideous hair."

Charlotte lunged forward, but Rikki didn't move an inch. "I'm not scared of you." Rikki smiled with Emma standing behind her, like backup.

"Look at this, man. A new shirt," Byron yelled toward Lewis.

"Well, Barbie, maybe you should be less of a priss," Zane yelled back.

Cleo was watching her friends, and her enemies fight it out and was getting the strangest feeling it would end with someone hurt, or worse, them all in detention. She quickly stormed up to them and stood in the middle of the now, Yell-what-you-want competition. It didn't even look like anyone was listing to what the other was saying.

"Stop it everyone!" Cleo said in a loud, angelic voice.

Everyone was caught off guard, hearing her voice over everyone else's. The other students stopped throwing food and everyone looked at Cleo, who stood in the middle of her friends.

"This is ridicules. Someone is bond to get hurt," She said as everyone put down what they were going to throw next. "Can we all just call it an accident and get on with our days."

With that being said everyone went back to throwing food at one another.

Merriam and Byron both picked up a water bottle sitting on the table and both pored them all over Cleo. She freaked and ran. Lewis, Emma, and Rikki fallowed. That left Zane, Ash and surprisingly Charlotte, close to killing Merriam and Byron.

Just then a teacher came up and saw the three ganging up on Merriam and Byron. She had hear Cleo's speech and called the five of them to the principal's office and told the rest of the students to start cleaning.


	13. Chapter 12:Detention

Chapter 12: Detention 

"Who started it?" Mrs. Capricorn, the principle, asked the five teens.

Charlotte looked down; Zane looked towered Ash; Byron looked over at Merriam; Mrs. Capricorn kept her gaze set on all five of them. Suddenly, Zane stood up and said, "It was my fault. I accidently flick yogurt onto Merriam's head. I'm sorry."

"Accidently!" Merriam shrieked in horror. "You did that on purpose. He was made that I was partners with his girlfriend."

"Well it might have been an accident that started it, but you didn't accidently hit me with your spaghetti," Charlotte yelled at Merriam.

"It's not my fault your ex. ducked," Merriam shot back.

"Ok, I get it," Mrs. Capricorn said. "All five of you will get a week's detention. Far?"

"Detention!" Ash said in surprise. "I can't have detention. I have babysitting after school. I can't leave Cleo alone with all those girls. There 10 girls we have to babysit. You can't keep me after school."

"Slow down, sweetie," Mrs. Capricorn said sweetly, "What's your name, son?"

"Ash Lee," Ash said.

His name got a quick chuckle from Merriam, Byron, and Charlotte. Mrs. Capricorn typed a bit in her computer, then looked back up at Ash.

"Fine, I want you to write a ten thousand word easy on how food fights are a bad thing for a functional school, due in a week," she said. "As for the rest of you detention. See you four this afternoon."

The five teens filed out of the office to find themselves in the mists of a class change. They had missed elective period and were about to be late for their next class.

The bell rang as Ash made his way into class. He gave the teacher his pass and went to sit down in front of Emma and Rikki. As the teacher was turned around Ash turned to look at his girlfriend and her friend and asked in a whisper, "How's Cleo?"

"She's fine," Emma reassured him.

"What about you? How much trouble did you get into?" Rikki asked.

"Well Byron, Merriam, Charlotte, and Zane have a week of detention. I have a ten thousand word easy," Ash told the girls.

"That's rough," Emma whispered right before the teacher turned around to start class.

After school 

Zane walked up to Ash, Rikki, Cleo, and Emma, who were standing by Cleo's locker.

"Thanks, for leaving me in detention with those losers," Zane said to Ash.

"Hey, it's not my fault I have 10 little sisters," Ash said, "Look I'll make it up to you. And hey it's not like I'm getting off the hook. I don't even know ten thousand words, and to write them in a paragraph that has to do with food fights being bad will not be a walk in the park."

Cleo shut her locker and turned around to face her friends. "So how did the silly fight even start?"

"Well something that ended in a mess started with a mess," Emma said. "I dropped something, Zane leaned down to pick it up, spilt his water, I dodge that but knocked Lewis's lunch into his lap, who in return flung my yogurt filled spoon over the table and hit Merriam."

Everyone was quiet. Then Zane smiled and said, "Well detention awaits. I'll see you all later."

Charlotte 

"Detention, that's tough," Mary said to Charlotte as she and Kenly walked Charlotte to detention.

"I know, and that Ash getting off with and easy." Charlotte seemed a little mad about how it all turned out.

"Well, He does have 10 little sisters, and there is no way Cleo could handle all 10," Mary explained. "Anyway, each girl has some sorta problem or disease. He needs to be at home after school."

Charlotte and Kenly looked at her as if she just said Cleo's my best friend and Ash should have gotten off the hook completely.

"I live across the street from them. In one of the smaller houses on the street. Most families are big, and all have at least one kid with a disease, mental or physical," Mary explained. "My little sister has a small mental disease, which leaves her with trust issues."

"That explains so much," Kenly said just as they got to the detention room.

Charlotte gave her friends one last smile before entering the room of dread. Once inside she saw Byron, Nate and Merriam sitting in the back. In front of them Zane was sitting writing a note, to Rikki most likely. On the other side of the room, Bill and Jake whispering. Next to them Kelly was reading a book on mermaids, fairies, and wizards.

Charlotte handed her note to the teacher and took a seat next to Kelly. She took her sketchbook and colored pencils out. She quickly scribbled a note to Kelly, in blue, and secretly handed it across the aisle. Kelly took it and read, "What are you reading about?"

Kelly looked over to Charlotte, who was now into sketching something. Quickly, Kelly took out her red pen and wrote something back. She waited till the teacher wasn't looking to give it to her. It said, "Just a story about mermaids."

Charlotte looked over at Kelly, then back at Zane, who seemed to be now sitting a seat head of the one he was sitting in. Charlotte quickly wrote back, "What kinda story."

Zane was watching the two girls passing notes and was taking any chance he got to slide up a chair. He was right behind Charlotte when she read the note that said, "Just a fairytale about a colon that attracted mermaids."

Before Charlotte wrote anything else she turned around to find Zane right behind her. She turned around and wrote, "That's so cool."

As she did this, Zane took out a piece of paper and wrote, "She means Ambergris." And passed it up to Charlotte.

Charlotte looked back at him and wrote something under his note. Before passing it back to Zane, she read Kelly's note of, "You think so, really."

Charlotte passed Zane a note that said, "You know she really believes in all that stuff." And handed a note saying. "I do." to Kelly. Then got a note back from Zane that said, "Oh I know."

After that Charlotte concentrated on sketch for the rest of detention. When the teacher dismissed them, it was 4. Charlotte got up and followed Kelly and Zane out of the room. She quickly ran to catch up with Kelly. She did not say anything, but she did hand Kelly a folded piece of paper before she left.

Kelly watched as Charlotte started off in the other direction. Once alone she opened the paper to see a sketch of a mermaid and under it in nice letters, I believe. Kelly looked in the direction Charlotte walked. Then she started toward her house.


	14. Chapter 13:Fight

Chapter 13: Fight 

Zane walked in class right before class started. Everyone was sitting at their seats and being extra quiet. Mrs. Vandal hadn't even entered the room yet. He sat down and looked at the board. It said, "Sit and be quiet."

As soon as the late bell rang, Mrs. Vandal. Stepped in. She had her hair up in a bun and was warring a black pants suit. She looked more like a teacher than she normally did.

Mrs. Vandal walked silently to the front of the room. Everyone's gaze was on her. She looked over at the class. Then she spoke in a soft voice, "You guys are in terrible trouble. There will be no more group projects. Everyone will work on this next project completely alone and in class. There will be no talking and we are just going to write."

Everyone looked around the room to see if anyone was going to be brave enough to ask why this was happening. No one seemed capable. Then Emma slowly raised her hand.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked.

Mrs. Vandal smiled, as if she was glad that someone had the nerve to asked. "For the past few days, because of my fun projects, you'll have ended in detention. Mrs. Capricorn has enlisted me to keep my projects limited to this class room."

Emma looked back at Lewis, who looked down at his desk. She looked back at the teacher. Mrs. Vandal started passing out the prompted.

For about ten minutes of the class, everyone was silent. The prompted kept them busy, for the most part. Some students were daydreaming, but nothing that would have led them to where they went next.

After about twelve minutes of writing, Charlotte was stumped. She couldn't put anything on the paper that made since. All she could think about was how Emma had the best writing in the class, during English. She kept her eyes glued to the girl right in front of her eyes. She was deep in her writing.

Kelly tried to keep her mind in place, but Charlotte's picture just kept popping up in her mind. She really believes every word she had said, and was keeping it a big secret, why? Kelly looked up and saw Zane in front of her, writing away like crazy. He was probably writing about his precious Rikki. Looking at Zane, reminded Kelly how he too was passing notes with Charlotte in detention. What were they talking about?

Merriam looked at the prompted, but as she wrote, she started to get farther and farther from the topic. At times her eyes would dart to Ash across the room. He seemed so insistent, but it was his fault they were in the situation they were in. He could have just taken the punishment like a man and not wined, but no. He had to get off the hook. Merriam knew he what he was writing about, Emma.

Kendall read over the prompted twice. It made no since to him. After a while he just started to write what was on his mind. That included things he didn't want some of the other students to read. He turned his head to get a good look at his sister next to Charlotte. She didn't know what he knew. Just a simple page in a dairy, could change so much.

The clock ticked on, as people started to get board. Mrs. Vandal sat unaware of some of the wondering eyes in the class. Charlotte's eyes got closer and closer to seeing Emma's paper. Kelly couldn't keep her mind and eye's away from Zane's paper in front of her. Merriam's wounding mind kept her looking at Ash.

With one small scoot forward, everything in the class fell. Charlotte finally landed her eyes on Emma's paper, and what she saw was not the wonderful stuff she wrote for English. It was much worse, and it was about her.

"What do you mean, crab!" She yelped out of nowhere.

Everyone turned toward Charlotte now standing above Emma. As Zane moved to get a better look, he pushed his paper back, giving Kelly great view of it. It was terrible.

"How could you say that!" She blurted.

With that everyone was out of their seats to see what was going to happen. Cleo was between Emma and Charlotte in an instant, trying to cool things down, but that just made things worse.

"How could say those things about me!" Charlotte's voice rumbled out for everyone to hear.

"It wasn't like you were suppose to read it!" Emma protested.

As they were debating and Zane and Kelly were as close as you could be to a fist fight, others were seeing what nasty things their classmates were saying about them. It was total madness in the room. There was a lot of yelling and many fist fights in the making. Mrs. Vandal tried resistless to get her class back in order. She knew what was going to happen and that was something she couldn't risk, not at the time.

Things went from bad to worse after that. No one knows who started it or why they did what they did, but before anyone knew what was going on, everyone was in one large fight. Kicks and punches were being thrown around the room. Cries of pain were heard from every angle. It was the biggest fight in the history of the school.

Still, it wasn't the worst of it. As everyone heated up and two sides were shone, there was use of binders and books to do some serious damage. And that's when the worst thing ever happened. No one knew how and no one could tell what had actually happened, but at that moment, all the power in the whole school went out.

As soon as the room was dark, it was quiet, for a few seconds. Then everyone was asking what happened and accusing others of hitting some switch. Mrs. Vandal knew then that nothing could get worse and that her job was in the toilet.

After a long period of time and a move to the auditorium for the rest of the day, the problem was found and the power was turned back on. No one in the class had really mongered with their classmates, on account the fight was long from over. Harsh feelings still lingered between the small class and their teacher.

Mrs. Vandal brought her students together one last time before leaving the school for good. She didn't show the sings of pain she had for leaving them but she did say, "Today is my last day. From now on you will have a period to do homework quietly with Mr. Lou. I just want to say, one day you will regret your beaver, for the information could have saved some of you in the nearer future, but we will never know now, will we." And that was all most of the students got.

The next day Cleo, Charlotte, Mary, and Kenly fond a strange note in their lockers. It was written in the same pen and handwriting on the same stationary. It said, "Dear my good friend, I just wanted you to know that friendship is the key to many heard times. You will soon learn more about this through an experience even I can't predict. Friends could be the people you never want to speak to again as well as the ones you have complete contact with. Remember that as your year progresses and you find yourself in a terrible situation. From your close admirer."

Cleo was the only one to show it to her friends and even they were stumped at the note. No one knew that this was going to be the start of something bigger than anyone could imagine.

_A/N I know I ended it clifthangy (not a word) but I will be starting a sequel soon. I promise it will be better. I do not promise it being out right away. _


End file.
